Managing epistaxis

Epistaxis is a common clinical condition treated by otolaryngologists. Use of a laser or cautery with endoscopy can be helpful for refractory anterior epistaxis. For posterior epistaxis, we review the current literature on the e ectiveness of traditional posterior packing, selective endoscopic point coagulation, endoscopic sphenopalatine artery ligation, and neurointerventional embolization. Although the literature suggests that endoscopic management of posterior epistaxis (point cauterization or sphenopalatine artery ligation) is likely to be e ective clinically and in terms of cost, the experience with angiography and embolization at the University of California San Francisco, has also been successful. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2000, 8:37-42 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.